The Bill is a police procedural television series that was broadcast on the ITV network from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, entitled Woodentop, which was broadcast in August 1983. In its final year on air, The Bill was broadcast once a week, usually on Tuesdays or Thursdays, in a one-hour format. The programme focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work. At the time of the series' conclusion, The Bill was the longest-running police procedural television series in the United Kingdom, and was among the longest-running of any British television series. The series was produced by Thames Television. The series name originated from "Old Bill", a slang term for the police. This was also Geoff McQueen's original title idea for the series, before he eventually decided on "The Bill".
Although highly acclaimed amongst fans and critics alike, the series attracted controversy on several occasions. An episode broadcast in 2008 was criticised for featuring fictional treatment for multiple sclerosis, and another episode in the same year resulted in litigation, submitted by MP George Galloway for defamation. The series has also faced more general criticism, concerning the levels of violence it portrays, particularly prior to 2009, when it occupied a pre-watershed slot. During its time on air, The Bill won several awards, including BAFTAs, a Writers' Guild of Great Britain award and the title of "best drama" at the Inside Soap Awards in 2009, the latter being the series' fourth consecutive win. Throughout its twenty-seven-year run, the programme was always broadcast on the main ITV network. In later years, episodes of the show were repeated on ITV3 on their week of broadcast. The series has also been repeated on other digital stations, including UKTV Gold, Alibi, Watch and UKTV G2. In March 2010, executives at ITV announced that the network did not intend to recommission The Bill, and that filming on the series would cease on 14 June 2010. The last ever episode of the series was aired on 31 August 2010.

It could be the day of Sun Hill's first gay wedding, but PC Lance Powell has been kidnapped by two Christian friends, Hal Richards and Dennis Simpson who try and 'cure' him of his homosexuality, Lance is spotted being kidnapped on CCTV footage and they find out that the man who rented the van that Lance was pulled into lent it to Dennis, Dennis is taken in for questioning and he confesses that him and Hal kidnapped Lance. Lance is rescued and Lance and Sgt Mark Rollins finally marry. A new DC Jo Masters is brought in to diffuse the tension between the warring DCI Jack Meadows and DI Neil Manson, but after meeting DC Jo Masters they both agree that she'll make their lives hell. DC Terry Perkins tracks down his brother and manages to trick his wife into revealing her suspicions about her husbands child abuse but DS Ramani de Costa is hot on his trail.

DS Ramani De Costa and DC Suzie Sim try to find out if DC Terry Perkin's brother, Ben is abusing his kids and Bradley admits his father touches him, but he could have adopted his fathers childhood memories as his own. Meanwhile a woman at St Hughs hospital protests about her embryos being held for ransom and pulls a knife on PC Yvonne Hemmingway. Two people pretending to be protesters try to spring there bail jumping father who is in hospital after a drink driving crash but he is to ill to be moved. In the protest PC Roger Valentine is gagged and handcuffed to a bed and PC Honey Harman finds herself staring down the barrel of a gun.

As actor Mark Wingett prepares to leave the programme, he reflects on his character Jim Carver's 21 years at Sun Hill, from naive probation bobby to DC and all that came in between - drinking, gambling, marrying and divorcing Marie and finally landing the woman of his dreams - June Ackland.

DS De Costa returns to Sun Hill humiliated after being bailed. DC Perkins races to her house, where an increasingly unbalanced Margaret Barnes is planning to commit suicide. In an attempt to prevent her from taking her own life he is stabbed and critically injured. PCSO Laura Bryant is knocked to the ground by a boy running drugs errands. PCs Dan and Stamp track down an inventive graffiti artist who uses cleaning products to produce negative images on dirty walls around Sun Hill. Sgt Smith reprimands receptionist Julian Tavell for gossiping.

Margaret Barnes is taken to hospital where a nurse realises that the blood on her clothes is not consistent with her wounds. DS De Costa realises DC Perkins has been stabbed and rushes home to find him bleeding to death. PC Powell and PCSO Bryant continue to help a delinquent's mother who has been beaten up by her son. They track Tomlin to a local pool hall, where they are taken aback to see Supt Okaro apparently buying drugs from Adi Mateen. DS Nixon is impressed by DS Hunter's uncharacteristic chivalry while working on a case, and asks if he'd like to get together with her socially. Unfortunately, their date is ruined by the reappearance of a figure from Hunter's past.

Supt Okaro attends the funeral of his wife, son and daughter, where he is comforted by Insp Gold, who goes on to compound his distress by telling him that she has cancer. PC Powell and PCSO Bryant continue to try to help local delinquent Jordan Tomlin. Powell is concerned that the superintendent hasn't handed in the drugs package he received from local drug dealer Adi Mateen. DSs Hunter and Nixon investigate the theft of a laptop containing sexually explicit material. Nixon seems to have cooled towards Hunter, who confides in his brother Steve about Kate Maltby's pregnancy.

DS Nixon confronts DS Hunter about Kate Maltby's pregnancy. Hunter then attacks his younger brother Steve, accusing him of betraying a confidence. Supt Okaro and Insp Gold have a heart-to-heart discussion, but she is sure he's hiding something. PCs Kent and Murphy work together on a harassment case involving Kent's fancy woman. Drug dealer Adi Mateen is forced to reveal his true identity in a desperate bid to save PC Powell from being shot by Jordan Tomlin.

DC Zain Nadir is certain that his cover has not been blown, and Supt Adam Okaro authorises him to meet drug dealer Joshua Armstrong. The intervention of an armed motorcycle passenger threatens to cut short the entire investigation. PC Harman returns from honeymoon and confides in PC Hemmingway about a storage unit hired by new husband Scott Burnett. Hemmingway finds a bloody glove, fuelling suspicions that he killed his first wife. DS Phil Hunter is furious with his brother for telling Kate Maltby about his daughter Madison.

PC Casper has a humiliating run-in with three yobs and later tries to save face by telling PC Johannsen that they had threatened him with a knife. At the end of the shift, he seeks solace in the arms of drugs referral officer Rochelle Barratt. PC Harman confronts husband Scott Burnett, who breaks down and admits to killing his first wife Karen. She implores him to turn himself in, but when the police arrive at their house, the couple are nowhere to be seen.

DI Morell investigates the apparent abduction of PC Harman by new husband Scott Burnett, but she has fled with him of her own volition and they are preparing to set sail for France. PCs Hemmingway and Stamp arrest a thief and Hemmingway leaves herself open to charges of using excessive force. PC Johannsen teases PC Casper about his run-in with the gang.

There is an enquiry into the PC Hemmingway's use of her asp on Lee Thomas, who dies from his injuries. Supt Okaro interviews PC Harman, who insists that she was abducted by husband Scott Burnett. PC Casper confesses to Insp Gold that PC Johannsen has been blackmailing him. Johannsen lets slip to Julian Tavell that the inspector has cancer.

PC Harman is allowed to retract her resignation, but husband Scott Burnett tries to kill himself in prison. PC Hemmingway is suspended from duty, pending investigation into the death of Lee Thomas, causing uncertainty among the relief as to what constitutes reasonable force when apprehending a suspect. PC Kapoor is accused of assault, while PC Stamp hesitates to use his asp and is beaten severely. DC Nadir agrees to a stint with Sun Hill CID before his next undercover job.

Sgt Ackland leads a short-lived rebellion over the suspension of PC Hemmingway. Supt Okaro tries to defuse the threat of strike action by the relief, reminding them of their duties as police officers and offering to let Hemmingway return to the station on non-operational duties while the inquiry takes its course. PC Casper panics that his affair with Rochelle Barratt is about to become public, but reacts with dismay when she suggests they put their affair on hold. DC Best feels that he is being patronised by DC Sim. DI Manson confides in Sim about his affair with the late PC Dunbar. The Hunter brothers clash over Phil's treatment of Kate.

Sgt Smith attends a car-jacking incident and is attracted to the victim, Louise Larson, the wife of a local gangster. PCs Johannsen and Harman are sent to catch a gang of cash machine skimmers. DS Hunter discovers that Christine Weaver plans to migrate to Australia with their daughter. PC Murphy ignores Sgt Ackland's advice to steer clear of PC Kent.

PCs Valentine and Casper break up a violent fight between two old friends, and have to deal with the consequences when one of the men is stabbed. DC Nadir is investigating gangster Pete Larson, while Sgt Smith has been sleeping with Mrs Larson. DC Perkins is called as a witness at his brother's trial. DS Hunter is concerned that Christine Weaver plans to emigrate with their daughter Madison.

D.C. Best is shot in the back during a raid on a gang suspected of handling stolen goods. D.S. Hunter vows to catch the thug responsible for assaulting his pregnant ex-lover, and inadvertently proposes marriage. Insp. Gold returns to duty after cancer therapy but is unfit for work. Supt. Okaro hits another snag with his road safety initiative.

Acting DC Best survives the shooting, but may be paralysed. Reunited with his estranged mother, he decides to return to Manchester. DCI Meadows and CID begin the search for the gunman, and are led to Supt Okaro's old friend Isaac Collins. Sgt Smith and Jonathan Fox investigate Insp Gold's absence and find her passed out in her bathroom. PC Stamp hires an escort to accompany him to PC Harman's birthday party, but she turns out to be a moonlighting PC Johannsen.

Supt. Okaro tenders his resignation as photographs of him smoking a joint with Isaac Collins are passed on to the MET. However, unbeknown to the relief, he has gone undercover for the NCS, hoping to identify Collins for the rogue that he is. When Collins offers him the job of a security consultant, he uses it a pretext to begin his investigation. Meanwhile, Ch Supt Barratt arrives at Sun Hill to take control of the situation, and unknown to him, he comes dangerously close to discovering the affair between PC Casper and his wife, Rochelle. PC Johannsen exploits her new status as PC Stamp's 'girlfriend', so he decides to end their relationship. DCI Meadows challenges DI Manson over his relationship with DC Sim after he catches them in a compromising situation.